The present invention relates to a hair conditioner composition which is particularly well-adapted for use on wavy and/or curly hair.
Shampooing hair has become a regular part of the typical personal care regimen. Frequent shampooing, by removing at least some of the natural oils in hair, results in an increased need to condition that hair so that it can be combed and styled. Conditioning enhances the tactile properties of the hair (smoothness and softness); it assures that hair is tamed and well-behaved (free from frizz), and that the hair is controllable when styled. This can be a particular problem with hair that is naturally wavy and/or curly. The present invention is unique in that it not only delivers these benefits, but delivers them such that they last through multiple shampoos (3-10 shampoos). The present invention therefore provides these conditioning benefits with very high wash durability.
The composition of the present invention utilizes a film-forming polyester, a suspending agent selected from polyquaternium-52 and polyquaternium-37, and an amino or aminopropyl-functional silicone. While each of these three components is known for use in and of itself for use in hair care products, the hair care compositions of the present invention, by combining the three components, provides these unexpected conditioning and wash durability benefits, discussed above.
Existing hair conditioning products are typically leave-on products which provide a conditioning benefit through the application of:                silicones, quaternary ammonium materials, esters, hydrocarbons and/or natural oils which can result in a greasy feel and weigh down hair; and/or        styling polymers which can give hair an undesirable unnatural feel and a “wet” look.        
The typical existing conditioning product also only provides transient benefits that do not last through even the next shampoo, much less through multiple shampoos, therefore requiring reapplication after each wash cycle. The closest known products to the present invention are thought to be styling lotions and creams that provide a mix of conditioning and hold, but these products are for daily use, and their benefits are not durable through multiple hair washes.